Text 6: The War Comes to Boston Topic 3: The Revolutionary Era Lesson 3: Taking Up Arms
OBJECTIVES Discuss how the first year of the Revolutionary War looked for the British Determine why Boston was a focal point for both sides during the first year of the war Evaluate how George Washington s leadership assisted in the formation of the Continental Army
The War Comes to Boston During the first year of conflict, much of the fighting centered around Boston About 6,000 British troops were stationed there Colonial militia surrounded the city and prevented the British from marching out
War Breaks Out Near Boston Harbor Even before Washington reached Boston, the Patriots took action On June 16, 1775, Colonel William Prescott led 1,200 minutemen up Bunker Hill, across the Charles River from Boston From there, they could fire on British ships in Boston Harbor
Prescott noticed that nearby Breed s Hill was an even better place to use the local geography to his advantage as a hilltop would be easier to defend, so he ordered his men to move there At sunrise, the British general, William Howe, spotted the Americans He ferried about 2,400 redcoats across the river to attack the rebels position As the British approached, the Patriots held their fire
When the Americans finally fired, the British were forced to retreat A second British attack was also turned back On the third try, the British pushed over the top They took both Bunker Hill and Breed s Hill, but they paid a high price for their victory More than 1,000 redcoats lay dead or wounded American losses numbered only about 400
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the Revolution It proved that the Americans could fight bravely It also showed that the British would not be easy to defeat Furthermore, it hinted that one effect of the Revolution would be continued bloodshed from a long and bitter war
Washington Forces the British out of Boston When Washington reached Boston a few weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill, he found about 16,000 troops camped in huts and tents around the city General Washington quickly began to turn raw recruits into a trained army His job was especially difficult because soldiers from different colonies mistrusted one another Washington won the loyalty of his troops, they, in turn, learned to take orders and work together
In January 1776, Washington had a stroke of good fortune The cannons that the Green Mountain Boys had captured at Fort Ticonderoga arrived in Boston Soldiers had dragged them across the mountains from Fort Ticonderoga Washington had the cannons placed in a strategic location on Dorchester Heights, overlooking the harbor
Once General Howe saw the American cannons in place, he knew that he could not hold Boston In March 1776, he and his troops sailed from Boston to Halifax, Canada About 1,000 American Loyalists went with them
Although the British left New England, they did not give up King George III ordered a blockade of all colonial ports A blockade is the shutting of a port to keep people or supplies from moving in or out The king also used mercenaries, or troops for hire, from Germany to help fight the colonists